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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

what i learned from a month without coffee

If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have noticed the picture I posted yesterday about going a month without coffee. I started this challenge in June and today happens to be day 30, the last and final day! For some of you who don't drink coffee, this may not seem like a big deal, but for me, it proved to be quite the test. Here are a few things I learned during those 30 days...

1. The withdrawal headaches were no joke, showing just how dependent I was on daily caffeine.

When I decided to try this 30-day challenge, I was having coffee every day. The first week was so bad that there were days when I felt physically sick because of how badly my head hurt. I eventually started drinking some tea, which I think helped. But that could have just been all in my head.

2. I don't need coffee to get me through the day.

I started drinking coffee for the same reason I imagine most people do - for a jolt of energy. When I felt lethargic in the morning or drowsy in the afternoon, a cup of joe was my go-to. Since I couldn't have it, I turned to green tea and water. And no surprise here, my upped water intake did wonders not just for my energy but also for my health. {As a note: I don't drink soda or energy drinks so I never considered have that instead of coffee.}

3. My wallet didn't feel so light.

This is probably an obvious one, but iced coffees/cappuccinos/caramel machiattos are not so kind to your wallet. I didn't realize how much I was really spending on my daily Starbucks fix because I often paid with my Starbucks gold card. When I stopped having to refill it because I wasn't going nearly as much, I realized how much money I was spending on my afternoon pick-me-up.

4. I slept much better at night.

This isn't to say that I always went to bed at a sensible hour {I seem to have picked this up from my mom}, but my sleep during this challenge wasn't so restless. I use the Sleep Cycle app on my phone to measure how well I've slept during the night. When I compared the quality during these past 30 days to those prior, I was amazed how much quicker I fell into a deep sleep and how much longer I actually slept for.

5. The feeling of accomplishment is pretty great.

To be honest, this isn't the first time I've tried to give up coffee for an extended amount of time. It's usually my top choice during Lent, and I've never succeeded in making it to day 40. I usually give up before around day 15 or 20. After multiple failed attempts {think more than five}, I'm really proud of myself for making it to day 30! Any accomplishment, no matter what kind is a great one.

So there you have it - a few things I learned along the way. Would you ever consider going without coffee or something similar for 30 days?